China has recently issued new regulations which make it a lot easier to officially register your real estate in the country.
The new regulations indicate that land-use rights (the right to “use” land owned by the state), and property ownership rights (ownership of a facility constructed on the land) must be registered together in one step. This is an important change from previous practice, where land-use rights and property ownership were registered in two separate procedures at two separate government authorities. The change means that there will be only one official registration fee.
The regulations go even further to allow for several circumstances in which the official registration fee will be reduced, or eliminated entirely. Fees will be reduced by 50% when filing to correct a previous registration or when filing an objection against an existing registration which is believed to harm existing personal rights. An owner of a property who’s name or official ID number has changed, or who decides to merge a plot with adjacent plots, or to divide an existing plot will pay half the standard fee.
Where a small business applies to update its property registration due to official name changes of roads adjacent to your property, or to apply for the right to contract for management of land for an agricultural purpose the registration fee will be totally exempted.
Additionally, if the applicant applies for registering a homestead (a single family home), or if a change of registration results in change transfer of title between spouses, only a nominal fee for the cost of the reissued document will be charged. The same also applies to obtaining a replacement title deed.
Where a real estate intermediary agent is hired to handle registration for your real estate, including the initial registration, change of registration or re-issuance registration, it will be good to keep these changes in registration fees in mind. This could save you money.